Undergraduate Scholarships

Undergraduate students majoring in English are eligible to apply for scholarships awarded annually by the Department of English. The Walter K. & Frances M. Smith, Madeline and Joseph Wolfolk Thomas, Harry L. and Cecilia H. Smith, Mary Phyllis Riedley, and Fred Bornhauser scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate excellence in the completion of an English B.A. degree program.

The Walter K. and Frances M. Smith, Madeline and Joseph Wolfolk Thomas, Harry L. and Cecilia H. Smith, Fred Bornhauser and the Mary Phyllis Riedley Scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduate English Majors to support their completion of the English B.A. degree program.

The University of Louisville does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual in educational programs and activities.  Accordingly, while a program or activity may be focused on the needs or issues of a particular group, they are intended to be inclusive of all, and any participant may benefit from attendance or participation in these programs and activities.

Please note: The sum of all institutional aid received cannot exceed the university’s total standard direct cost of attendance plus a stipend. Items in the standard direct cost include regular on-campus tuition charges*, average room**, average board***, and average book costs***. For more information regarding the University stacking/overaward policy, visit the following website: http://louisville.edu/financialaid/scholarships/overaward-stacking-policies

Walter K. and Frances M. Smith Endowed Scholarship 

The scholarship offers a minimum award of $1000. In order to be eligible, you must: 

  • Be a full-time undergraduate student majoring in English 
  • Demonstrate financial need as certified by the University of Louisville’s Office of Financial Aid

Walter K. and Frances M. Smith Endowed Scholarship Application

Application deadline: Closed 


Madeline and Joseph Wolfolk Thomas Scholarship

This award can be used toward tuition, room and board. (Pending funding availability)

Available to: The Thomas Scholarship is awarded annually to English majors on a competitive basis and is a purely merit-based scholarship.

  • The competition is open to all approved English majors who have completed more than 70 hours at the time of application.
  • The English majors should have completed at least 9 hours of English beyond English 102 at U of L by the end of the semester of application.
  • Applicants should have an overall grade-point average of 3.3 or higher.

An announcement and application is e-mailed to all English majors early in the spring semester. Information and application materials may also be obtained from the Department of English web site. The winner is selected by the English Department Undergraduate Committee.

Undergraduate Scholarship Application

Application deadline: April 4, 2025


Harry L. and Cecilia H. Smith Scholarship

This award can be used toward tuition, room and board. (Pending funding availability)

Available to: The Smith Scholarship is awarded annually to English majors on a competitive basis and is partly need-based and partly merit-based scholarship.

  • The competition is open to all approved English majors who have completed more than 70 hours at the time of application.
  • The English majors should have completed at least 9 hours of English beyond English 102 at U of L by the end of the semester of application.
  • Applicants should have an overall grade-point average of 3.3 or higher.

An announcement and application is e-mailed to all English majors early in the spring semester. Information and application materials may also be obtained from the Department of English web site. The winner is selected by the English Department Undergraduate Committee.

Undergraduate Scholarship Application

Application deadline: April 4, 2025


Mary Phyllis Riedley Scholarship

Two awards will be given. One will cover a full year of tuition, room and board. The other will cover approximately a half year of tuition, room and board. (Pending funding availability)

Available to: The Riedley Scholarship is awarded annually to English majors on a competitive basis and is partly need-based and partly merit-based scholarship.

  • The competition is open to all approved English majors who have completed more than 70 hours at the time of application.
  • The English majors should have completed at least 9 hours of English beyond English 102 at U of L by the end of the semester of application.
  • Applicants should have an overall grade-point average of 3.3 or higher.

An announcement and application is e-mailed to all English majors early in the spring semester. Information and application materials may also be obtained from the Department of English or web site. The winner is selected by the English Department Undergraduate Committee.

Undergraduate Scholarship Application

Application deadline: April 4, 2025

 

Fred Bornhauser Scholarship

This award can be used toward tuition, room and board. (Pending funding availability)

Available to: The Bornhauser Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a degree in English and to foster teaching, learning and scholarship in classical British and American literature.

  • The competition is open to all approved English majors who have completed more than 70 hours at the time of application.
  • The English majors should have completed at least 9 hours of English beyond English 102 at U of L by the end of the semester of application.
  • Applicants should have an overall grade-point average of 3.3 or higher.

An announcement and application is e-mailed to all English majors early in the spring semester. Information and application materials may also be obtained from the Department of English web site. The winner is selected by the English Department Undergraduate Committee.

Undergraduate Scholarship Application 

Application deadline: April 4, 2025